Various latching mechanisms for vehicles are known for example from U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,219; U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,046; U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,204; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,495; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,720. However, each of these known configurations suffers from the inability to provide a reliable, secure mounting of a striker plate with respect to a non-uniform, potentially non-planar, mating surface. If a proper secure mounting of a striker to a corresponding mounting surface is not obtained during assembly, movement of the striker can allow over slam of the corresponding closure member. In addition, loose or improper mounting of a striker to a corresponding mating surface can result in undesirable fit and finish appearance issues, as well as other operational issues associated with proper alignment of the latch mechanism, including engagement and release issues of the latch mechanism with respect to the striker in the desired fashion.